Chapter 164 This can’t be happening
She pressed the button on her intercom. “Matthew, can you come to my office immediately? It’s urgent.”
A few moments later, Matthew entered the room, concern etched on his face. “What’s going on, Claire?” he asked.
Claire motioned for him to sit down and pointed to her laptop screen. “I’ve found Eligos’s location. Well, I’ve narrowed it down to three possible locations.” Matthew leaned over, examining the map with a puzzled expression. “How did you manage to find this?” Claire sighed and leaned back in her chair. “Eligos hacked into my laptop to send me a message. I quickly realized what he was doing and used the opportunity to track him.”
Matthew’s eyes widened in surprise. “That’s impressive, Claire. So, what do we do now? Should we go to these places immediately?”
Claire shook her head, thinking carefully. “We need to be strategic about this. If we move too quickly, there’s a high chance he’ll realize what we’re doing and run.” Matthew nodded, understanding her caution. “So, what’s the plan?”
Claire stood up and started pacing the room, her mind racing with possibilities. “First, we need to gather more information about these locations. We need to know the layout, the security measures, everything. We can’t afford to walk into a trap.” 202053020 39€ 2 5 2
Matthew agreed. “Alright, I will look into it.”
“Thank you, Matt.”
Claire sat at her desk, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she dug deeper into the location they were investigating. Her mind was focused, determined to uncover every detail. While she waited for Matthew to get back to her with more information, she continued her research, hoping to find something that could give
them an edge.
Suddenly, the door to her office burst open, and Matthew rushed in, his face pale and eyes wide with panic. Claire looked up, startled by his abrupt entrance.
She quipped, “Wow, that was fast, Matthew. Did you find something?”
But Matthew’s expression didn’t change. He looked genuinely worried. “Claire, listen to me. Don’t go online. Just stay off the internet for now.”
Claire raised an eyebrow, finding his concern a bit amusing. “What’s gotten into you? What’s so urgent that I can’t even go online?”
Ignoring her protests, Matthew moved closer. “I’m serious, Claire. Trust me on this one.”
>>
With a playful smirk, Claire turned to her computer and opened her social media feed, thinking Matthew was overreacting. But as soon as the page loaded, her heart sank. Headlines and posts about her past marriage to Alex were plastered all over the internet. Shocking revelations, photos, and snippets of conversations filled the screen.
“Oh my God,” Claire muttered, her face draining of color. “How did this get out?”
Meanwhile, across country, Lisa was on a phone call with a man she had hired. She paced back and forth in her hotel room, her voice cold and calculated.” Remember, post the evidence about Claire and Alex’s marriage gradually. One piece at a time. Let the internet do its work.”
The man on the other end of the line assured her, “Got it. I’ll handle it.
“Remember you need to be careful and not be reckless. Be meticulous. Claire has a way of finding things out. We can’t afford any mistakes.”
He chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this. Consider it done.”
Lisa ended the call, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. Everything was going according to plan. She knew that the steady trickle of information would create a storm, and Claire wouldn’t know what hit her. Back in her office, Claire was reeling from the news. Matthew, seeing her reaction, felt a pang of guilt for not being able to protect her from this. “Claire, I’m so sorry this happen to you.”
Claire shook her head, trying to process the information. “It’s not your fault, Matthew. I just… I can’t believe this is happening. Who would do something like this?” Claire stood up from her chair, pacing back and forth in her office, her mind racing with panic. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing on her phone. “Matthew, we need to settle this before it gets out of hand,” she said urgently, turning to her trusted assistant. “Delete the tweet that involves me. Now.”
Matthew nodded, his fingers already flying over his keyboard. “I’m on it, Claire,” he assured her, his voice steady.
Claire’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. She turned back to Matthew. “Also, prepare a helicopter. I can’t deal with the chaos if I go by car.” Matthew walked out of the office, his pace quick and determined. He returned a minute later, a look of concern on his face. “There’s a problem with the helicopter,” he announced.
Claire cursed under her breath, closing her eyes briefly in frustration. “Unbelievable,” she muttered. Taking a deep breath, she said, “Prepare my car and alert security back at Metacortex. We need to be ready for anything.”
Matthew nodded and left to carry out her instructions. Claire headed down to the lobby, her steps quick and purposeful. She jumped into the waiting car, her mind still reeling from the unfolding events. As the car sped away, she dialed Alex’s number, but there was no answer. She tried again and again, but still no response. “Come on, Alex,” she muttered, frustration evident in her voice. After the third attempt, she gave up, sighing heavily.
Taking a moment to collect herself, she went online again, hoping for some clarity. Her heart sank as she saw a photo that had been leaked: it was of her and Alex’s marriage. The footage had gone viral, with thousands of retweets and shares. This was not supposed to happen.
Claire prided herself on being calm and composed, but this situation had her feeling more anxious than ever.
Her mind raced with questions. How did people find out about this? Who would do such a thing? The power of social media was truly frightening, and she felt like
2/2
Chapter 164 This can’t be happening
she was losing control.
The thought of facing the mob of journalists and paparazzi made Claire’s heart pound. She took a deep breath, steadied herself, and slipped on her large, dark shades. They were almost a shield against the world outside.
In front of Metacortex, the crowd had been growing since the news about her and Alex. The journalists and paparazzi were buzzing with anticipation, their cameras and microphones ready. The moment Claire stepped out of the car, the flashes went off like a strobe light, nearly blinding her despite the shades.
“Claire! Over here!”
“Claire, is it true about you and Alexander Harris?!”
“Claire, do you have any comments about it?!”
The security team formed a protective barrier around her, pushing back the eager crowd. Claire could feel the pressure of bodies around her, the noise of the questions and the clicks of cameras overwhelming. She kept her head down and moved swiftly, almost being pushed several times. But the security team did their job well, and she made it inside safely.
Once inside the cool, quiet lobby of Metacortex, Claire felt a slight sense of relief. She adjusted her blazer and headed straight for the elevator. A few employees watched her, whispering amongst themselves. Claire knew the rumors were already spreading like wildfire. She stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for her floor. As the doors closed, she allowed herself a moment to gather her thoughts. She needed to stay focused.
The news would affect the stock market, and she had to be prepared for it.
Search the FindNovel.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.